Where can you spend Star Wars money?

Aug 11, 2011

The South Pacific island of Niue is issuing coins stamped with characters from Star Wars. Read on to find out more.

Luke Skywalker might have saved the Rebel Alliance, but will he be able to help the economy of Niue? Along with Darth Vader and Yoda, the Jedi Knight is one of the characters from the Star Wars films who appears on new coins being issued in the South Pacific island state. Although Star Wars coins have been made as collector’s items before, this is the first time they will actually be legal tender, with each coin having a face value of two New Zealand dollars – about £1.

However, the coins are actually worth much more than that, with each containing $40 worth of silver. As a result, the Niue government do not expect any of the country’s 1,400 inhabitants to spend them, hoping instead that investors and Star Wars fans will buy sets of four coins for NZ$469 and boost the island’s tiny economy.